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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. can — to be able to
  5. plane — a tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. drill — army training
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wake — a trail
  19. drill — the tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bank — for money
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com